If you are an artist, you probably have creative friends who also have creative friends who have creative friends and so on. Informal get-togethers are a great chance to meet new and interesting people. Gallery Camellia was cozy and created an atmosphere in which people wanted to sit and chat. Several new friendships were made that week.

One evening a friend came by with two friends, including one I had previously met before. Every time I see her she has on a different hat. Why? Satoko Kato is a hat designer for Grace Hats, a popular brand in Japan. I complimented her on her hat with its two-tone ribbon and joked that I would love to have it. She then took it off her head, did something to the inside band, and then gave it to me! What a lovely surprise! (Maybe the wine helped.)

We took turns trying on the hat. It turned out to be a magical hat that looked good on everybody! How often does that happen?

Katie, aka Mitsuko from the Fig Sisters, is both a visual and performance artist. Mitsuko and Ameko form the Fig Sisters, a burlesque unit.Yoko Seki is a textile artist and painter.

Louise Rouse, looking extraordinary as usual, is a printmaker, illustrator, wood carver, and university instructor.

Chiko Kagami is another Tokyo-based visual artist.

Eric Pelletier is an animator and visual artist based in Tokyo.

Nana Masuda is a printmaker and visual artist.

Here is proof that the magical hat can work in variety of settings and not just in the gallery. Did he travel through time thanks to the hat?

And, moi with a beret. I think it actually belonged to Nana Masuda. Artists are supposed to wear berets, right?